u/NegotiationFair8094

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I was recently reading a commentary on the Parable of the Prodigal Son (and Jeremiah 2:19), and this specific perspective really hit home for me:

"When God does not convince us through His word, He allows us to be taught by the reality of things... He allows them to be taught by the events themselves, so as to win them back once more."

Sometimes we get so stubborn or insensitive to gentle advice, warning, or spiritual guidance that the only way we truly learn is by experiencing the consequences of our own choices. God doesn't allow us to wander off or go through hardship out of malice or punishment for its own sake, but out of patience and pedagogy—so that through experience, we realize what we lost and voluntarily choose to return.

And the most beautiful part of the story is the father’s reaction upon the son’s return:

"His father held no grudge against him, but received him with open arms. Why? Because he was a father, not a judge."

It's a powerful reminder that no matter how far we stray or how hard the lessons of life get, God’s ultimate goal isn't to condemn us, but to welcome us back home.

What are your thoughts on this? Have you ever had a time in your life where you had to "learn from reality" the hard way before recognizing God's grace?

A CONFESSION OF FAITH

—by Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis—

God is my glory, my wealth, and my boast. God is sweeter and more pleasurable than anything that exists. God is my preoccupation and delight.

Through God’s inbreathing my soul was created. God formed and made my body. I am entirely an image of God. I am a descendant from God, by divine grace. My existence begins from God. My ability to move originates from God. I have received the ability to breathe and to speak from God. To God I commit my soul every day. To God I offer my prayers every hour. In God I live, I work, and exist. In the great, mighty, and living God, Who is the giver, the helper, and the perfecter of all good things, do I hope. God will be the awesome judge of all my works and actions. I have a merciful and forgiving God. I confess that God is patient and plentiful in mercy. I proclaim that God is my savior, my redeemer, and my Lord. I know God to be the origin and cause of all things. I know God to be the bestower of all good things. I know God is the provider and overseer.

I know God to be all-wise and omniscient, Who knows the future, the present, and the past. I praise, glorify, bless, and magnify God, Who is good, holy, righteous, and true. I venerate and worship God, Who is full of compassion. In God I believe, in God I hope, and to Him I entrust the hope of my salvation. It is God, the source of love, Whom I love and desire. To God I offer my soul as sacrifice. To God I elevate my mind and acquire peace. God is Whom my heart desires.

I confess one God: the Triune Divinity. I proclaim one timeless, eternal, simple, transcendent, and indivisible God. God Who is One and Three. Who is completely One and completely Trinity. I believe and confess God Who is totally One in essence, and Who is totally Triune in hypostasis. For there is one God: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; and there is one power, one composition, one worship: that of the consubstantial Trinity. For one and the same is the nature and substance of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

This is what I believe, what I confess, what I proclaim, and what I profess.

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Saint John Chrysostom dropped the ultimate reality check on fatalists 1,600 years ago, and his argument strips away our excuses just as effectively today.

When someone claims that "everything is predetermined" or that "free will is an illusion," the most revealing thing isn't what they say—it’s how they actually live.

Chrysostom pinned down the core self-contradiction in the fatalist worldview:

Action invalidates the theory: If you truly believe your time and outcome are written in stone, why take precautions? Why turn the steering wheel to avoid a crash? If fate governs everything, self-preservation becomes completely redundant.

Morality and justice collapse: If choice doesn't exist, a criminal bears no guilt for their crime, and a benefactor deserves no credit for their kindness. Without free will, every law, court, and moral judgment becomes utterly meaningless.

"Fate" as a comfortable cop-out: Fatalism is often just an emotional shield. It is far easier to say "it was meant to be" than to take full ownership of your failures, passivity, or poor decisions.

Today, we’ve mostly just swapped out the vocabulary. Instead of "the stars" or "fate," we talk about "strict biological determinism" or "social conditioning." But the logic remains identical:

The moment you act as if your decisions shape your future, you’ve already rejected fatalism in practice.

Do you believe we have genuine agency over our lives, or are we just playing out a pre-written script?

Is your life controlled by fate, or is that just an excuse for lack of free will?

Saint John Chrysostom dismantled fatalism 1,600 years ago—and his arguments hit harder today than ever.

Part 2 is live 👇

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Hey everyone, Andreas here. Some people read novels, others play games… I translate St. John Chrysostom into English. Every week I upload a new text on my Substack, plus a few notes so no one gets lost in the patristic wilderness.If you’re curious how Chrysostom sounds in modern English — or if you just want to support someone with unusual hobbies — feel free to stop by.👉 Substack:

https://open.substack.com/pub/andreasfotiadis68agiosminas/p/my-mission-translating-the-church?r=8raj5j&utm\_campaign=post&utm\_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Dear Fathers, Brothers, and Sisters in Christ,

I hope this message finds you well and blessed in your ministry.

My name is Andreas, and I am writing to introduce a project dedicated to making the rich treasury of the Holy Fathers accessible to the English-speaking Orthodox world.

Through my Substack publication, I regularly publish faithful, readable English translations of primary patristic texts, with a particular focus on the works, homilies, and teachings of St. John Chrysostom.

The goal of this initiative is to assist English-speaking faithful, catechumens, and anyone seeking the depth of Orthodox theology to engage directly with the words of the Saints. Each post is crafted with care to preserve both the spiritual weight and the rhetorical beauty of the original Greek texts, while ensuring clarity for the modern reader.

I would be truly honored if you would consider sharing this resource with your parishioners, study groups, or church community.

If you have any specific texts or homilies you would like to see translated for your community's study groups, please feel free to reach out. I would be delighted to collaborate and serve your parish’s needs.

Thank you for your time, your prayers, and your dedication to the Church.

Yours in Christ,

Andreas

Translator & Editor

📌 Substack Link:

https://open.substack.com/pub/andreasfotiadis68agiosminas/p/my-mission-translating-the-church?r=8raj5j&utm\_campaign=post&utm\_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

📧 Contact Email:

andreasfotiadis68agiosminas@gmail.com